This week’s Ten on Tuesday asks for “10 Ways the World Has Changed Since You’ve Been in School.” In which school, I wonder? I haven’t been in a classroom full-time since I graduated from university in April 1987, and those twenty-one years have seen some pretty big changes in life as we know it. However, if I go back to high school (let’s hear it for the Class of ’82!) – not that anyone would really want to go back to high school, but you know what I mean – or look even further into the past, to my grade-school days in the 1970’s, things look even more different.
When I was a kid, I used to marvel that my parents had grown up without television. Now, our kids marvel that we grew up with televisions that, if you were lucky, picked up six channels – and what the heck was “UHF”? And why was everything in black-and-white?
In any case, I mentioned this week’s theme to Tall Paul, who had no trouble producing a list of ten in record time (and probably found it hard to stop at just ten). I’m putting his contributions first, since he hit a few things I would have had on mine too (I’ve marked those with a *, and italicized my additions to his comments):
*The Internet – Can you imagine only being able to go to a brick-and-mortar store, or phone in a order from a catalog, for everything? (And having to look things up in the out-of-date encyclopedia at the library?All the info you could need, just a click away…not that all of that info is useful or accurate, of course. Then there are the communication and entertainment functions – blogs and social media, YouTube and iTunes, even dear old e-mail.)
*Cable TV/HD TV – 900 channels, 30 good ones.
Digital Photography – Remember the Fotomat? Having to wait to see if your photos came out; out of focus, out of focus, blinked, out of focus…
DVRs – No more scanning through a VCR tape looking for that show that, you are pretty sure, is on there…somewhere.
*Profanity, violence and other bad behaviors – It used to be that just the bullies and thugs acted this way. Unfortunately, this behavior is being accepted at a younger age. Even “kid-friendly” movies (Speed Racer) use the word “ass” a lot and have a 10-year old flipping an adult the finger.
*Sexuality (at a much younger age) – What’s with the bra straps (girls) and underwear (boys and girls) showing? What’s with having “Juicy” or “Pink” written across the butt of your 12-year old? When did being (or at least looking like) a skank start being a good thing? “Oh, isn’t that adorable? The boys are staring at her ‘Juicy’ ‘Pink’ butt!”
*Digital Music – LPs were replaced by CDs, which are being replaced by digital downloads.
*Cell Phones – Remember when you could be out of touch? When a phone was just a phone? Now, we have no excuse not to be available to anybody 24/7. When you were young and you were out later than your parents said was OK (by accident, of course), you could always say “But Mom, I couldn’t find a pay phone!” Just try finding a pay phone now – better still, one with a phone book attached!
Automobiles – Back in my day (OH GOD! DID I JUST SAY THAT?!), you could work on your own car. Now, cars are much more complex. What size wrench do I use to update the firmware on my Honda? Of course, in general, the quality of cars today is far superior: faster, safer, better suspensions, more comfortable, less polluting…
My Body – I used to be 6-foot-1 and 160 toned-and-tight pounds (this is obviously my husband talking here!). I went to sleep one night only to wake up and find someone has stolen that body and replaced it with a much older, flabbier model. Having boobs isn’t as much fun as I thought it would be.
OK, since six of his ten things also count for me, I decided that I only need to come up with four more:
Culture – The world has grown both bigger and smaller at the same time. Population has grown overall – more in some parts of the world than others – and modern communication and travel have made cities, states, and even distant countries more alike than different (how many Starbucks are there worldwide, anyway)? At the same time, developments like the Internet allow people to customize their experience of culture according to their interests – 900 channels, as Tall Paul said. The common experience of an event by millions of people is becoming less common, unless it’s a tragedy.
Food – We cook less, and go out to eat more – and we eat more, period, even if we prepare less of it at home. However, take-out and easy-to-prepare meals are of much better quality than they were when I was younger, and no one feels any discomfort at bringing a Costco lasagna to a potluck.
Climate – Global warming or whatever the reason, there has definitely been some long-term change in the weather.
Diversity – I’m not sure this is the right word for what I mean here, but it goes with the world getting both bigger and smaller at the same time, to some extent. The “melting pot” analogy doesn’t seem to apply so much anymore, and society seems to be re-segregating in some respects, growing more conservative and narrow in viewpoint and lifestyle on the one hand – while, at the same time, becoming increasingly tolerant and color-blind in other ways.
What other changes in the world – big or small – come to mind for you? If you made your own list for Ten on Tuesday, please link to it in your comment!
Good list. I certainly can’t imagine life without my computer and the internet nowadays. And I really love my digital camera! And my body has seen better days. 😉
I agree with you on how the world seems to have gotten smaller, thanks in large part to the internet. And even in just the last few years I’ve noticed the climate change. 🙁
My body has changed a lot too! Great list ;0)
Good ones! My body hasn’t been toned in a long long time!
I played too 🙂
Assuming that we’re past the age of about 25 or so, it’s probably safe to say that ALL of our bodies have seen better days :-D! (And I’m taking my husband’s word for that 160 toned pounds, since that was well before I met him…)
Tanabata – The world is a smaller place; here we are, communicating almost instantly between Los Angeles and Tokyo!
Holistic Knitter – I think you had some very important changes on your list, especially #4-#10.
Teena – Good list – we’d be so lost without ATMs!
Thanks for stopping by today!
900 channels, 30 good ones, lol. That is so true. Great list! We have a couple simular ones!
I think your lists are one of my favorites to read when it comes to ToT… you make me smile!
Great list!
I have a few of the same ones. I focused a little more on technology. Just because I like it.
You guys have me a little scared of what my 4 year-old daughter is going to want to wear when she gets older. 🙂
LOL! I loved your husband’s My Body comments! I think mine feels the same way!
So right with the 900 cable channels and 30 good ones. Why can’t we just pay for the ones we want?
I haven’t seen a working pay phone for a long time.
SandyM – Your list reminded me about the rising cost of everything – and that what’s really changed since I’ve been in school is the calendar. Many times :-).
Sunfire – I liked that you included some things that haven’t changed in your post.
I’m glad you enjoy my lists – they’re always more amusing when my husband joins in :-).
Mike – Your list was about as tech-y as I’d expect.
Our almost-14-year-old girl doesn’t dress like that, and neither do her friends. It’s preventable if the parents have decent judgment (and withhold the cash to buy that stuff).
Jaimie – Most of the (very few) pay phones I encounter don’t work. I’m not sure why they’re even around anymore.
Looks like we shared a few memories. 😉
Blessings,
Linda
TEN WAYS THE WORLD HAS CHANGED SINCE I WAS IN SCHOOL, at Practically at Home
Linda – Yes, we did – phone booths, cheap gas, and walking to school among them. Thanks for stopping by!
great list…. mine is going up post haste
Carole – Your list hit some of the ways that science fiction has become reality. Thanks for visiting!
That’s a great list – I graduated high school in ’95 and a lot of that works for me too.
Oh – and one thing I know has changed – toll booths. At least in Illinois and I know a few other states. How throws money in anymore??? We’ve got IPass…just drive right under and keep going. My kids will never see me throw change into that little machine…
Cathy – Let’s see, you graduated high school 13 years after I did, and that was 13 years ago…I really think the pace of change keeps getting faster, do you?
I live in California, land of the freeways, so I haven’t seen a tollbooth in a long time, but I guess they’ve entered the electronic age too. Money will never go away, but maybe cash will someday.
Great list, Florinda!
I’m still chuckling over your husband’s comment about his body, hehe…
Tall Paul made a good point about the whole profanity/violence/sexuality thing. Not a positive change from “the old days”!
I didn’t think about food at all – but you are definitely right about the changes in that area. We (my family) definitely eat out more than I did as a kid – and I don’t think that’s just a financial thing. But there are many, many more choices – and good ones.
Melody – I’m glad he made you laugh. He does that for me too – it’s one of the reasons I married him :-D!
Alison – What can I tell you – food is usually on my mind :-).
Tall Paul did have a good point with that one. That change can’t be totally put on the kids, though; the parents and adults who should be setting the limits on these things don’t seem to be doing so well with that.
This is a fun one! They all are, but especially the ones that take us down memory lane. 🙂
I always found it interesting how different it was for my husband and I growing up. He grew up with a computer in his house. It wasn’t until high school that I had limited use of my mother’s school computer when she brought it home to learn how to use it before it took up residence in her classroom. It wasn’t until college that I got onto the internet for the first time. It’s so much different today than it was back then.
DVR’s are a wonderful invention! VCR’s, what are those? Haha
I love that you added your body to the list. That’s too funny. That’s probably something all of us can relate to.
Literary Feline – The exposure to computers has definitely changed. I think that my son’s age group (mid-20’s) was the first generation to grow up learning to use a mouse; he was already getting computer-literate when he was 5 or 6. Now back in MY day…no one could imagine such a thing :-)!
I never could get a VCR to record shows, but I love the DVR.
The “body” item on the was actually Tall Paul’s, but sadly enough, I can say the same.
(And Wendy, what were you doing up and leaving blog comments at 2 AM?!)
I’m getting really bad about staying up late on Friday and Saturday nights. My excuse last night was that I was trying to catch up with my blog visits.
I’m up earlier than I wanted to be this morning thanks to the animals. It’s better this way though as now I can do a load of laundry before the in-laws arrive.
LF – I know exactly what you mean; Gypsy is the reason I don’t sleep in on the weekends. Animals like their regular schedules :-).
Have a great visit with your in-laws, and happy birthday to Anjin!